FARMS 
The cistern may be built of concrete, 
and may be either round or rectangular. 
The round form is the more difficult to 
build, but it is the stronger. 
Use of a Pump 
A small force pump, placed at one end 
ot the kitchen sink, with the suction pipe 
reaching to the cistern, is a convenient 
means of getting the soft water supply 
if the more expensive method of using 
a gravity tank or a pneumatic tank and 
piping the soft water to the sink, wash 
basins, and bath tub is not desired. If 
a gravity soft water tank is placed in the 
attic it can have a direct connection with 
a rain water leader which will keep the 
tank full during the rainy season. This 
conection must be supplied with an 
automatic cut-off which will send the 
water to the cistern when the attic tank 
is full. The force pump can be connect- 
ed to the tank and used to fill it in dry 
seasons. 
To have a constant water supply in the 
kitchen and bathroom it is necessary to 
have some means of storing it under 
pressure. An elevated tank which will 
deliver the water by gravity may be 
used, or a pneumatic tank which will de- 
liver it by air pressure. The labor saved 
by having the water carried to the house, 
barn and garden, will soon pay for the 
storage tank, while the value of ade- 
quate fire protection and the healthful- 
ness of sanitary plumbing can not be esti- 
mated in dollars. 
Elevated Tanks 
Location of the Tank 
If the gravity system is chosen, the 
tank for the storage of the water may be 
in the attic or on an outside tower. If 
a windmill is used for power, a small 
tank can be supported 20 to 40 feet from 
the ground, on the same tower. These 
tanks can be constructed of wood or of 
galvanized steel, and of capacity varying 
from 300 to 2,000 gallons. If a larger 
tank is desired, a tank on an independ- 
ent tower should generally be used with 
pipe connections to house and barns. 
When the storage for the house supply 
is in the attic, too large a tank should 
not be used, as water is heavy (62.5 
943 
pounds per cubic foot) and there is dan- 
ger of overloading the attic floor unless it 
has been especially designed to carry the 
tank. 
Kinds, Construction and Cost 
Attic tanks are constructed of wood 
lined with zinc or lead, of galvanized 
steel, of cast iron, and of wrought iron. 
Such tanks should always be provided 
with an overflow pipe to carry off the 
water if the float valve fails to shut it 
off when the tank is full. If of iron or 
steel, a galvanized steel tank pan with 
a drain connecting with the overflow pipe 
should be placed beneath the tank to pre- 
vent damage to floors and ceilings from 
condensation of moisture on the outside. 
The water supply is regulated by means 
of a float valve which cuts off the inlet 
pipe when the tank is full enough. The 
size of the tank will be regulated by the 
power used to raise the water as well 
as the amount required by the family. 
The hydraulic ram or the windmill will 
require only a small storage tank, as 
they are so easily set going. If an en- 
gine is used, a tank that will hold a 
two or three days’ supply would be more 
convenient and economical. A closed 
steel tank, fitted with a water seal air 
valve, may be used in the attic with the 
overflow pipe leading to the stock tank 
in the barnyard. This insures a con- 
stant renewal of the water. There is 
one farm in Illinois where the water sup- 
ply is forced to an attic tank and the 
fall of the surplus operates a water 
motor for lifting the cistern water to 
another tank in the attic, and then the 
surplus water goes to a tank in the hay 
mow of the barn with an overflow pipe 
to a stock tank in the barnyard. This 
illustrates how well the head can be 
made to save the heels. 
If all the plumbing fixtures are on the 
ground floor, the closed steel tank for 
the cold water supply can be placed in the 
kitchen or bathroom. If desired, the en- 
tire water supply can be made to pass 
through this house tank and so the house 
supply will be always fresh. With a 
closed tank there is no danger from 
overflow. 
